Compounds of the general formula ##STR2## are known in the literature and used in many different industrial fields. Thus, e.g. N-[2-[2-(heptadecenyl)-2-imidazolin-1-yl]-ethyl]-oleamide is known from GB Pat. No. 929,397 as additive for polyepoxydbitumens. J. Chem. Res. Synop. 1981/3/84-5 and DE-OS No. 2,546,180 disclose the reactions of different steric isomers of N-[2-[2-(8-heptadecenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-1-yl]-ethyl]-9-octadecena mide and the use thereof in the floatation of Nb/Ta minerals. The article of Przem. Chem. 46/8/, 479-81 describes the (1:1) mixture of N,N'-[ethylenebis(iminoethylene)]bis(9,11-octadecadienamide) and -(9,11-octadecadienoate) and the use thereof as cationic surfactant. According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,337,459 N,N'-[iminobis(ethyleneiminoethylene)]bis(10-octadecenamide) is used as lubricant. U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,454 describes 1,1'-(iminodiethylene)bis[2-(heptadecenyl)-2-imidazoline as additive for paints.
There is, however, no reference at all in the prior art to any therapeutical effect of the aforementioned compounds.
The last 100 years brought basic changes in the human environment, especially as a result of the extraordinary development of chemistry. Of course, this development started in unfavourable phenomena as well, and one of these is the rapid increase of tumorous diseases.
At present, cancer research is one of the most developing research areas and needs extraordinary financial and mental supply. Besides basic research, there are great efforts in the therapy of certain specific types of tumorous diseases. In many cases, chirurgical intervention is often accomplished by other kinds of therapy, e.g. irradiation, chemotherapy, etc. The known processes and especially chemotherapeutic methods have the common characteristics that they are limited in the field of specific types of tumour. No general method resulting in a general regeneration of tumorous cells has been found so far.
According to the present state of science, tumorous diseases can be cured when detected in the very early state. As the early phase is very hard to recognize, tumorous diseases belong to those which are the most difficult to cure. Generally, symptomatic treatment is performed but the recovery rate is very poor. Therefore, there is a strong need for therapeutic agents which prevent the occurance of tumorous diseases and provide general and appropriate therapeutic effect in case of developed disease at the same time.